Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Progressive, Refractory, or Recurrent Stage II or Stage III Testicular or Ovarian Cancer

You may be eligible if

• Histologically confirmed pure testicular seminoma or ovarian germ cell dysgerminoma
• * Histologic documentation of metastatic/recurrent disease not required
• Alpha-fetoprotein level must be normal, unless abnormal level is explained by other conditions and approved by the study chair
• Clinical stage II or III
• Progressive, refractory, or recurrent disease, meeting at least 1 of the following criteria:
• * Measurable progressive disease
• * Biopsy-proven residual disease
• * Persistently elevated or rising B-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) titers, defined as at least 2 values above the upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Cisplatin-refractory disease without option of potentially curative therapy, meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• * Failed high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) or autologous bone marrow transplantation (AuBMT)
• * Ineligible for or refused PBSCT or AuBMT
• * Unlikely to achieve long-term benefit from PBSCT or AuBMT
• Current evidence of metastatic disease
• * Unidimensionally measurable target lesions
• * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques (e.g., physical examination for clinically palpable lymph nodes and superficial skin lesions or chest x-ray for clearly defined lung lesions surrounded by aerated lung)
• * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan or MRI
• * If measurable disease is confined to a solitary lesion, then its neoplastic nature must be confirmed by histology
• * Ultrasound may not be used to measure tumor lesions that are not easily accessible clinically
• Non-measurable/non-target lesions, with HCG at least ULN, including the following:
• * Bone lesions
• * Pleural or pericardial effusions
• * Ascites
• * CNS lesions
• * Leptomeningeal disease
• * Irradiated lesions, unless progression documented after radiotherapy
• Performance status - ECOG 0-2
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT/SGPT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• No other severe and/or uncontrolled concurrent medical illness
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
• See Disease Characteristics
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• No concurrent hormonal therapy except steroids for adrenal failure, hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes), or intermittent dexamethasone as an antiemetic
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Prior radiotherapy to a symptomatic lesion or one that may produce disability (e.g., unstable femur) allowed
• No concurrent palliative radiotherapy
• No concurrent grapefruit juice
• No concurrent warfarin for therapeutic anticoagulation (concurrent mini-dose warfarin \[1 mg orally per day\] as prophylaxis allowed)